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Crime & Safety

The Week’s Best of Police and Fire Reporting

Patch reports on cops, crime and occasional chaos in your community.

From the latest crime convictions to car break-ins, police stories unfolded in Maryland this week. Keep your finger on the pulse of all that’s happening in and around your community with Patch’s fire and police coverage.


The Westminster Police Department was honored last week as the top agency in its category at the annual Maryland Law Enforcement Challenge recognition ceremony in Baltimore. Check out pictures of the boys in blue who were recognized for the campaign which featured an emphasis on seat belt, DUI and aggressive driving enforcement on Westminster Patch.


It was a busy week on Liberty Road, as firefighters and Maryland State Police cordoned off and evacuated a nearby bank after a large gas line was cut by contractors Wednesday morning. A day later, a , according to a report, as the Baltimore player drove an SUV. Eldersburg Patch has the details.


Go behind the scenes with Local Editor Diana Soliwon as she chronicles her experiences with a first-hand look at what police work is all about. This week, learn how the life of a bomb technician boils down to the reality of some pretty intense situations, and what to do if you are ever caught in one of them. To read more, find out what’s blowin’ up on Owings Mills Patch

Find out what's happening in Arbutuswith free, real-time updates from Patch.


Howard County police are offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest of a man they say robbed a bank Tuesday afternoon in Columbia. To have your shot at the jackpot, be sure to check out the security cam stills, posted on Columbia Patch


Trooper First Class Shaft S. Hunter of Reisterstown died May 21 in a traffic collision while on patrol on I-95 in Howard County, where he worked at the Waterloo Barrack. To find out about the funeral and the , visit Reisterstown Patch.

Find out what's happening in Arbutuswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

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